A club with a rich tradition of nurturing its own talent secures the league title by beating a chief rival, courtesy of a stunning goal from Marcus Rashford. For Manchester United fans, this might have felt like a dream come true. Yet, the reality is different: the champions are Barcelona, and it was Rashford’s curling free-kick that paved the way for their Clasico victory over Real Madrid.

Rashford’s achievement is historic; he’s become the first Englishman to win La Liga with Barcelona, joining a rare group that includes Laurie Cunningham, David Beckham, Kieran Trippier, and Jude Bellingham. Under different circumstances, Barcelona might have taken up their €30m option to make his loan permanent.

But the situation that led Rashford to Camp Nou wasn't straightforward. Barcelona had also shown interest in Luis Diaz and Nico Williams last summer, both pricier options. Rashford appeared as a Plan C, available on loan, partly because United struggled to find a buyer.

Still, Rashford has made a solid impact as a high-level squad member, with nearly equal appearances as a starter and substitute. Scoring 14 goals in 47 matches is respectable, though not extraordinary. What stands out more is his 14 assists, totalling 28 goal contributions, averaging one every 87 minutes on the field. Some argue these stats might be a bit flattering, considering Barcelona’s European involvement, but he matched Bruno Fernandes’ goal contributions this season.

This comparison offers a glimpse into what United might be lacking. Though, to be fair, they have secured Champions League qualification and earned the most Premier League points since Michael Carrick returned to Old Trafford.

That said, United’s core squad is relatively small. With European fixtures coming up, they need reinforcements, especially in attack. This was evident well before Joshua Zirkzee’s ineffective display in Saturday’s goalless draw against Sunderland underlined why he doesn’t quite make the cut.

The squad, reshaped by Ruben Amorim in an attempt to play 3-4-3, a system that didn’t fit Rashford or many others, lacks a natural left winger. Patrick Dorgu started in that spot early in Carrick’s tenure and performed well before injury, but it’s unclear if that’s a stopgap or a long-term plan. Matheus Cunha often plays there but is essentially a No 10. Fernandes and Bryan Mbeumo have rotated there too. Rashford, on the other hand, has the potential to become a regular fixture on the left.

Looking at strikers, Benjamin Sesko is the squad’s only specialist No 9. Rashford might not label himself as one, but he’s arguably better placed to fill that role than anyone else at United, except Rasmus Hojlund, who looks set to make his loan at Napoli permanent.

United’s recruitment last summer, with around £200 million spent on Cunha, Sesko, and Mbeumo, shows they’re willing to invest heavily in forwards, sometimes paying roughly £60 million for players who may not be as naturally gifted as Rashford.

Selling Rashford for €30 million would be at the lower end of what his value might be, especially considering his significant wages and that he turns 29 in October. These figures matter because United’s summer budget will likely focus on a £200 million midfield overhaul, requiring at least two or ideally three signings. Other additions, like a left-back unless Dorgu is slotting there, are also on the wishlist.

Meanwhile, Barcelona’s situation complicates things. Their finances are tight, and they usually aim for quality signings on a budget. Plus, they arguably need a pure centre forward to replace Robert Lewandowski more than Rashford. Would they try to buy Rashford outright or prefer negotiating another loan deal?

There’s a feeling Rashford believes his United chapter is closing, with Barcelona as his preferred destination. Some at Old Trafford, including fans, may not be keen on his return either. After his standout 2022-23 season, the following 18 months saw tensions and incidents more than what the public saw.

Amorim’s swift decision to sideline Rashford coincided with United scoring a few goals. It was a tough call that evidently backfired, but Amorim is gone now. Carrick, a former teammate and coach of Rashford, is stepping in; after all, Rashford was United’s joint-leading contributor under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Recently, United’s interim manager mentioned that no final decision on Rashford has been made yet. The same goes for Carrick, who might stay on longer. Despite non-committal responses, Rashford could still make sense for United going forward.

There are bridges to rebuild, but remember: he scored 138 goals for United and was good enough to thrive at Barcelona. The club isn’t under any obligation to let him go cheaply, especially when he could help fill at least a couple of gaps in their plans for the next season.

Despite the heartbreaking news about Hansi Flick’s father just hours before El Clásico, Flick is still set to coach Barcelona on Sunday evening. Barcelona released a statement confirming the loss and sent their love to Flick, saying the whole club stands by him and his family right now.

Here’s what they said: “FC Barcelona and the entire blaugrana family wish to send all our love to Hansi Flick after the passing of his father. We share in your sorrow, and our thoughts are with you and your family during this difficult time.” Even with this heavy personal loss, Flick is going to be on the sidelines for the crucial match against Real Madrid. Both teams agreed to honour Flick’s father by wearing black armbands and holding a minute of silence before kickoff.

Real Madrid quickly responded with their own message of sympathy, calling Flick’s loss tragic and sending their condolences to him and his family. “Rest in peace,” their statement finished.

If Barcelona avoid defeat in this match, they’ll clinch the La Liga title with two games left; that’s back-to-back championships for Flick in just his first two seasons at the club.

Leading up to the game, Flick spoke about the positive vibe within the squad. He said, 'The atmosphere, the connection between the players, is something really special. We’ve got world-class talent, and you can see how close everyone is, especially the academy kids who’ve known each other forever.”

He went on: “Winning a second title with this young team would be unbelievable. The guys have done a fantastic job, and now we want to win the title for a second straight year, which isn’t common in Spain.”

Picking the starting eleven isn’t easy for Flick; almost everyone’s fit and playing at a high level. He summed it up simply: “We want to play our own game. We know what we have to do, and we want to prove it. We’re here because we played a fantastic season together as a team.”